The Striking Corner

In this episode of The Striking Corner Eric and Vinny are together once again IN THE SAME STUDIO as Eric traveled to NYC this past weekend to provide ringside commentary for the Triumph Kombat 4 event which was held at the iconic Madison Square Garden.

The guys discuss the event and Vinny's student Abel Cardenas' fight, they also answer fan questions about how to grow Muay Thai in America without going the WWE route, gym hopping, "not leaving it to the judges" (uggh), and Eric receives his results from Ancestry DNA.

Enjoy! And if you have any topic ideas or questions you would like us to answer during a podcast, drop us a line at [email protected] or on our Instagram accounts: @strikingcorner, @ericrivera_tsc, and @vinnyscotto

On Friday, March 2nd, 2018, Friday Night Fights will be the first Muay Thai promotion to stream LIVE on UFC Fight Pass. Proof of the continuing growth of Muay Thai and Kickboxing in the US!

In this special episode, Vinny and Eric speak with Friday Nights Fights (FNF) promoter Justin Blair to discuss this historic event for US Muay Thai and the guys also speak with the two stars of the main event, Phoenix, Arizona's Travis Clay and New Jersey's very own, Ognjen Topic.

Two top American talents facing off in the ring of one of the longest running Muay Thai shows in America, LIVE on UFC Fight Pass! Support the Sport, tune in, and continue showing these networks that it is worth their time and money to continue broadcasting Muay Thai.

The promoters and fighters are doing their part to grow the sport, we have to do ours!

In this episode of the podcast, Eric & Vinny speak with USMF President Michael "Chase" Corley and Muaythai Youth Academy co-creator Patrick Rivera. Both of these gentlemen have played a major role in growing Muay Thai in the United States as well as pushing Muay Thai towards getting recognized by the USOC (United State Olympic Committee).

Michael and Patrick both feel that the future of American Muaythai lies in establishing a template and/or path for our youth Muay Thai athletes to get prepared, from an early age, for both national and international competition.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of the USMF's Youth Development League, the upcoming Muaythai Youth Academy workshop at Patrick's Valor Training Center in Stockton, California, and we also discuss the phenomena performance by 4 of America's young female Muaythai athletes at a recent event in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Listen, learn, and believe, as the path to exponential growth of American Muay Thai is explained here on this podcast!

In this episode of The Striking Corner, Vinny and Eric speak with promoter, coach, gym owner, and entrepreneur, Eddie Cuello! Eddie has long been a friend of the podcast and The Striking Corner as Eric at one time fought on Eddie's old Take On Productions promotion and also served as a commentator on various shows.

In this podcast, the guys discuss Eddie's growth from the days of Take On Productions to his new venture as a promoter of Triumph Kombat, as well as owning and coaching at his two locations of Rebel Thaiboxing in Long Island, New York in addition to other projects he works on.

The guys talk East Coast Muay Thai, pro vs. amateur opportunities, Eddie's PROMISE to fly Eric out to New York for the next Triumph Kombat Card, and Vinny teaches Eric to properly pronounce Madison Square Garden. Enjoy fight fans!

In the first episode of 2018, we decided we needed to start off the new year of The Striking Corner right! And who better to kick off 2018, then CSA Gym owner and head coach extraordinaire, Kirian Fitzgibbons!

"Coach K", as he is known to his many students and peers, is without a doubt one of the top striking coaches in North America, coaching the likes of Kevin Ross, Gaston Bolaños, Zoila Frausto, Zach Bunnell, Eddie Abasolo, Alexis Davis, Miriam Nakamoto, and the list goes on and on.

Coach K has been a huge part of the growth of Muay Thai and Kickboxing in America for quite some time. He knows all the players and has seen it all. He is very passionate about combat sports, his students, and his brand. He pulls no punches when giving his opinions, takes no bullshit, and we love him for it.

Yet for some, his take no prisoners attitude rubs them the wrong way however the success of his gym, his fighters, and his system cannot be denied.

In this episode, we discuss everything from his background in combat sports and defensive tactics to the state of Muay Thai and Kickboxing in America. We also discuss why many fighters need to stop bitching, understand that in combat sports you have to learn to promote yourself and that there truly is no secret to success, it's all about hard work, structure, and the occasional usage of the term "motherfucker!"

Enjoy!

In this episode of The Striking Corner, Eric and Vinny speak with the Head Coach of Boxings Works in Torrance, California and the USMF National Team, Bryan Popejoy.

Bryan is considered one of the top Muay Thai coaches in the US and the guys we were definitely honored to have him as a guest on the podcast. In this episode, we discuss Bryan's background in Muay Thai, the history of Boxing Works, the California Muay Thai scene in the 1990's, the definition of "Traditional Muay Thai", fighting with pads, and much more!

In this episode of The Striking Corner, Vinny and Eric speak with one of our good friends and one of THE BEST coaches for Kickboxing in the U.S.; Eric Haycraft, head coach and owner of Real Fighters Gym in Louisville, Kentucky.

Eric Haycraft is truly one of the most knowledgeable striking coaches in the United States today, especially in the realm of Kickboxing, sometimes referred to as "Dutch Kickboxing". Having trained extensively throughout his career with the likes of Rob Kaman and the late Ramon Dekkers, Eric has spent years trying to elevate the level and status of the sports of Muay Thai and Kickboxing in America.

We discuss the "state of the union" for Kickboxing and Muay Thai in the U.S., why American fighters should stay amateur longer, the growth of the US Muaythai Federation and the big strides they have made in pushing Muay Thai forward, and so much more! This podcast is stacked with great conversation! And if you are a die-hard Muay Thai and Kickboxing fan, we know you will enjoy it.

In this episode of The Striking Corner podcast, Eric & Vinny speak with physical therapists, coaches, and former fighters, Dr. Jason Park and Dr. Hiro Perera.

The group discusses the misconceptions of physical therapy, why it's important to fighters, and a new endeavor both Dr. Park and Dr. Herera are embarking on, where they seek to educate fighters and coaches about the finer points of injury prevention and mobility for Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and MMA.

Eric and Vinny also discuss Keto, why Stevia tastes horrible, and newborn babies. Check it out!

In this episode of The Striking Corner, Eric and Vinny sit down with Staten Island Muay Thai's Keto Master and Strength & Conditioning coach, John "Jay" Campbell.

Eric talks about being in the home stretch of his wife giving birth to their second son, Vinny posts a picture of Eric's stupid face on the internet, and Jay discusses the benefits of the Keto Diet. Eric and Vinny commit to getting on Jay's Diet Plan and will report back in a few weeks to discuss their TRIUMPHS or failures...

In this episode of The Striking Corner podcast, Eric & Vinny speak with Dan LaSavage. Dan is a former professional Muay Thai and MMA fighter who now owns Combat Corner, a successful combat sports equipment brand. We discuss his career in martial arts, what drove him to start his own brand, the growth of combat sports in America, and why he believes YOU should stop worrying about how many ounces your gloves weigh. Listen and enjoy!